So who exactly is Backing Fracking – unmasking the astro-turfers

Given what I read in their carefully crafted press releases and on their social media sites, it seems that the astroturfing group which calls itself “Backing Fracking” would have you believe that they are made up of ordinary “residents” who are nothing to do with “the industry and businesses on one side, and anti-fracking campaigners on the other.” People who Backing Fracking describes on his Facebook page as ”ordinary people who want good jobs and better life chances”.

Here’s how Ellie Rylands describes their plight:

“22 year old Ellie Rylands, one of the organisers, says it’s time that people saw shale gas enjoys support not just from businesses, but also from ordinary members of the community: “Until now, whenever shale gas has been discussed, all we’ve heard are the opinions of the industry and businesses on one side, and anti-fracking campaigners on the other. But there are lots of people in the middle that believe shale gas can be extracted safely in this country, and can see how it could create a massive jobs boost for the area, especially for young people like me emerging from college and university.”

Did Ellie mention that her Linked In profile shows that she was actually employed by Cuadrilla and Centrica last year?

Years of tireless community campaigning, public meetings, companies bought and sold, a two year community protection camp and an eviction that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. IGas have temporarily thrown in the towel.

This is by no means the end of the fight to protect this part of the North West from fracking, but it’s a massive delay and a massive victory. Faced with this level of local and regional opposition the industry needs to try something else. What that will be and when is anyone’s guess. But for now – it’s time to celebrate!

Communities could lose the right to block fracking wells as part of a Cabinet plan to create a shale gas industry within a decade, the Telegraph can reveal.

The 10-page plan, leaked to anti-fracking campaigners, sets out a timeline for the expansion of the shale gas industry in Britain.

The Prime Minister blamed a “lack of understanding” about the process for some of the opposition to it, and insisted they would be addressed once people could see functioning shale gas wells in the UK.

LACK OF UNDERSTANDING DAVE!? We understand it completely – lots of money for you and your friends, whilst causing devastating, irreversible damage to our water, air and land. We UNDERSTAND the absolute nightmare people are having to live (and die) with in the USA and Australia. We UNDERSTAND that drilling a huge hole into the ground, pumping it with gallons upon gallons of water and toxic chemicals is never going to be a good idea. We UNDERSTAND that ‘addressing’ the completely justified warnings and concerns about fracking AFTER you’ve fracked the land really means that it is much easier to ask for forgiveness rather than our permission.